U.S. patent application number 13/084597 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-13 for board to board connector assembly having improved plug and receptacle contacts.
This patent application is currently assigned to HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Jing-Jie Guo.
Application Number | 20110250800 13/084597 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44761249 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110250800 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Guo; Jing-Jie |
October 13, 2011 |
BOARD TO BOARD CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING IMPROVED PLUG AND
RECEPTACLE CONTACTS
Abstract
A board to board connector assembly (100) includes a plug
connector (10) and a receptacle connector (20) for receiving the
plug connector along a mating direction. The plug connector
includes a plug insulative housing (11) and a number of plug
contacts (12) received in the plug insulative housing. The
receptacle connector includes a receptacle insulative housing (21)
and a number of receptacle contacts (23) received in the receptacle
insulative housing. Each of the plug contact and the receptacle
contact includes a main portion (121, 121', 231, 231'), a soldering
pad (120, 120', 230, 230'), a retention beam (122, 122', 232,
232'), and a contacting beam (123, 123', 233, 233'). The contacting
beam of the plug contact has an inclined face (124, 124') and a
securing portion (125, 125') protruding toward the retention beam.
The contacting beam of the receptacle contact has a tail portion
(235, 235') angularly extending towards the retention beam. The
plug contact inclined face initially guidingly engages with the
receptacle contact tail portion and finally the receptacle contact
tail portion is positioned between the securing portion and the
main portion of the plug contact when the plug and receptacle
connectors are mated to each other.
Inventors: |
Guo; Jing-Jie; (Shenzhen,
CN) |
Assignee: |
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO.,
LTD.
New Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
44761249 |
Appl. No.: |
13/084597 |
Filed: |
April 12, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/660 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 12/716
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/660 |
International
Class: |
H01R 24/00 20110101
H01R024/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 12, 2010 |
CN |
201020155816.9 |
Apr 12, 2010 |
CN |
201020156119.5 |
Claims
1. A board to board connector assembly comprising: a plug connector
comprising: a plug insulative housing and a plurality of plug
contacts received in the plug insulative housing, each plug contact
including a main portion, a soldering pad, a retention beam, and a
contacting beam, the contacting beam of the plug contact having an
inclined face and a securing portion protruding toward the
retention beam; and a receptacle connector for receiving the plug
connector along a mating direction comprising: a receptacle
insulative housing and a plurality of receptacle contacts received
in the receptacle insulative housing, each receptacle contact
including a main portion, a soldering pad, a retention beam, and a
contacting beam, the contacting beam of the receptacle contact
having a tail portion angularly extending towards the retention
beam; wherein the plug contact inclined face initially guidingly
engages with the receptacle contact tail portion and finally the
receptacle contact tail portion is positioned between the securing
portion and the main portion of the plug contact when the plug and
receptacle connectors are mated to each other.
2. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the retention beams of the plug contacts and the receptacle
contacts are respectively arranged in two lines, the contacting
beams thereof are arranged in four lines, and the soldering pads
are arranged in another four lines.
3. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the main portions of the plug contacts and the receptacle
contacts are respectively provided with two different lengths.
4. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the retention beam of a shorter plug contact is positioned
between associated soldering pad and contacting beam along a
lengthwise direction of the main portion.
5. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the soldering pad of a longer plug contact is positioned
between associated retention beam and contacting beam along the
lengthwise direction.
6. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the soldering pad of a shorter receptacle contact is
positioned between associated retention beam and contacting beam
along a lengthwise direction of the main portion.
7. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the retention beam of a longer receptacle contact is
positioned between associated soldering pad and contacting beam
along the lengthwise direction.
8. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the soldering pad is formed at an opposite side of the main
portion with respect to the retention portion and the contacting
portion.
9. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the plug connector comprises a pair of metal plates
assembled at two opposite ends of the plug insulative housing and
the receptacle connector comprises a metallic shell covering the
receptacle insulative housing, and the metal plates interfere with
the metallic shell along a transverse direction.
10. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 9,
wherein each metal plate comprises a pair of confronting portions
and the metallic shell forms a plurality of flexible beams
correspondingly interfering with the confronting portions.
11. A board to board connector assembly comprising: a first
connector including: a first insulative housing defining a
plurality of first passageways along a longitudinal direction; a
plurality of first contacts disposed in the corresponding
passageways, respectively, each of said first contacts including a
first main portion, a first retention portion and a first
contacting section and essentially commonly lying in a first plane;
and a second connector mateable with the first connector and
including: a second insulative housing defining a plurality of
second passageways along said longitudinal direction; a plurality
of second contacts disposed in the corresponding passageways,
respectively, each of said second contacts including a second main
portion, a second retention portion and a second contacting section
and essentially commonly lying in a second plane except a
contacting beam of the second contact section which extends away
from said another plane in a resilient manner; wherein when the
first connector and the second connector are mated with each other,
the first contact in the first plane is intimately located beside
the corresponding second contact in the second plane in said
longitudinal direction under condition that the second contacting
section extends from the second plane to reach the first plane and
contact the first contacting section.
12. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 11,
wherein the first contacts and the second contacts are not of the
same dimension in a transverse direction perpendicular to said
longitudinal direction.
13. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 12,
wherein said second contacts are longer than the first contacts in
said transverse direction.
14. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 11,
wherein the first contacts include longer ones and shorter ones
dimensioned in a transverse direction perpendicular to the
longitudinal direction, and alternately arranged with each other in
a staggered manner along the longitudinal direction; the second
contacts include longer ones and shorter ones dimensioned in said
transverse direction, and alternately arranged with each other in
said staggered manner along the longitudinal direction.
15. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 14,
wherein the staggeringly arranged longer ones and shorter ones of
the first contacts are disposed on both lateral sides of the first
housing in the transverse direction in a zigzag manner; the
staggeringly arranged longer ones and shorter ones of the second
contacts are disposed on both lateral sides of the second housing
in the transverse direction in the zigzag manner.
16. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 11,
wherein the first contacting section and the second contacting
section are aligned with each other in the longitudinal
direction.
17. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 11,
wherein the contacting beam of the second contacting section
extends horizontally in a transverse direction perpendicular to
said longitudinal direction.
18. A board to board connector assembly comprising: a first
connector comprising: a first insulative housing defining a
plurality of first passageways along a longitudinal direction; a
plurality of first contacts disposed in the corresponding first
passageways, respectively, each of said first contacts primarily
lying in a first plane; a second connector comprising: a second
insulative housing defining a plurality of second passageways along
the longitudinal direction; a plurality of second contacts disposed
in the corresponding second passageways, respectively, each of said
second contacts primarily lying in a second plane; wherein the
first contacts include longer ones and shorter ones dimensioned in
a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,
and alternately arranged with each other in a staggered manner
along the longitudinal direction; the second contacts include
longer ones and shorter ones dimensioned in said transverse
direction, and alternately arranged with each other in said
staggered manner along the longitudinal direction; wherein the
staggeringly arranged longer ones and shorter ones of the first
contacts are disposed on both lateral sides of the first housing in
the transverse direction in a zigzag manner; the staggeringly
arranged longer ones and shorter ones of the second contacts are
disposed on both lateral sides of the second housing in the
transverse direction in the zigzag manner.
19. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 18,
wherein the first passageways include longer ones and shorter ones
dimension in the transverse direction and alternately arranged with
each other in the staggered manner along the longitudinal
direction; the second passageways include longer ones and shorter
ones dimension in the transverse direction and alternately arranged
with each other in the staggered manner along the longitudinal
direction; wherein the staggeringly arranged longer ones and
shorter ones of the first passageways are disposed on both the
lateral sides of the first housing in the transverse direction in
the zigzag manner; the staggeringly arranged longer ones and
shorter ones of the second passageways are disposed on both the
lateral sides of the second housing in the transverse direction in
the zigzag manner
20. The board to board connector assembly as claimed in claim 19,
wheren when the first connector and the second connector are mated
with each other, the first contact in the first plane is intimated
located beside the corresponding second contact in the second plane
in the longitudinal direction.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a board to board
connector assembly, and more particularly to a low profile board to
board connector assembly.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Arts
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,561 issued to Masumoto on Apr. 1, 2003
discloses a board to board connector assembly comprising a
receptacle connector and a plug connector engaged with the
receptacle connector along a first direction for electrical
connection therebetween. Each of the receptacle connector and the
plug connector includes a plurality of contacts. The receptacle
contact includes a contact portion which forms a protrusion
protruding along a second direction perpendicular to the first
direction. The plug contact includes a mating portion with a
concave portion recessed along the second direction. Therefore, the
plug contact and the receptacle contact are securely engaged with
each other when the protrusion is received in the concave portion.
The specific shape, profile, and/or cross-section of either the
plug or receptacle contact makes it difficult to reduce its
height.
[0005] Hence, a board to board connector assembly having different
plug and receptacle contacts design is desired to overcome the
aforementioned disadvantage of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a low profile board to board connector assembly having
different plug and receptacle contacts design.
[0007] To achieve the above object, a board to board connector
assembly includes a plug connector and a receptacle connector for
receiving the plug connector along a mating direction. The plug
connector includes a plug insulative housing and a number of plug
contacts received in the plug insulative housing. The receptacle
connector includes a receptacle insulative housing and a number of
receptacle contacts received in the receptacle insulative housing.
Each of the plug contact and the receptacle contact includes a main
portion, a soldering pad, a retention beam, and a contacting beam.
The contacting beam of the plug contact has an inclined face and a
securing portion protruding toward the retention beam. The
contacting beam of the receptacle contact has a tail portion
angularly extending towards the retention beam. The plug contact
inclined face initially guidingly engages with the receptacle
contact tail portion and finally the receptacle contact tail
portion is positioned between the securing portion and the main
portion of the plug contact when the plug and receptacle connectors
are mated to each other.
[0008] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective, assembled view of a board to board
connector assembly constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the board to board
connector with respect to FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective, further exploded view of a plug
connector;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective, further exploded view of a
receptacle connector;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a partly cross-sectional view of the board to
board connector assembly taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective, exploded view of two groups of the
plug contacts and the corresponding receptacle contacts;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective, assembled view of two groups of the
plug contacts and the corresponding receptacle contacts;
[0016] FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 6, but taken another aspect;
and
[0017] FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 7, but taken another aspect.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1-9, a board to board connector assembly
100 in accordance with the present invention comprises a plug
connector 10 and a receptacle connector 20 receiving the plug
connector 10 along a vertical direction.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the plug connector 10 comprises
a plug insulative housing 11 extending along a transverse direction
perpendicular to the vertical direction, a plurality of plug
contacts 12 received in the plug insulative housing 11, and a pair
of metal plates 13 assembled at two opposite ends of the plug
insulative housing 11. The plug insulative housing 11 defines a
recess 110 in the middle part thereof and a plurality of plug
passageways 111 beside two sides of the recess 110. The plug
contacts 12 are received in the plug passageways 111 and partly
extend out of the recess 110. The plug insulative housing 11
defines a pair of fixing portions 112 at two opposite ends thereof.
Each fixing portion 112 forms a block portion 113 in the middle
thereof and a pair of curved portions 114 at two opposite sides of
the block portion 113. The metal plate 13 comprises a main beam
131, a pair of arc portions 134 curvedly upwardly extending from
two ends of the main beam 131, and a pair of confronting portions
135 each extending downwardly from the corresponding arc portions
134 respectively. The confronting portions 135 space away from the
main beam 131. The metal plate 13 further comprises a pair of
soldering portions 133 at two opposite ends of the main beam 131.
The soldering portions 133 are used for soldering with a printed
circuit board. Each soldering portion 133 forms a plurality of ribs
132 at out edges thereof. The ribs 132 are securely engaged with
the arc portions 134 and therefore, the metal plates 13 are
securely assembled on the plug insulative housing 11.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 3, 6-9, the plug contact 12 comprises a
main portion 121, a soldering pad 120 protruding from an upper edge
of the main portion 121, a retention beam 122 extending from an
opposite lower edge of the main portion 121, and a contacting beam
123 extending from the lower edge of the main portion 121. The
contacting beam 123 has a length larger than that of the retention
beam 122, and therefore, when the plug contact 12 is retained in
the plug insulative housing 11, the retention beam 122 is received
in the plug passageway 111 for retention purpose while the
contacting beam 123 extends out of the recess 110 for engagement
purpose. The plug contacts 12 are formed into two groups with
differences only at: each of the first plug contacts 12 has a
shorter main portion 121 and the retention portion 122 is
positioned between the soldering pad 120 and the contacting beam
123 along a lengthwise direction perpendicular to both the vertical
direction and the transverse direction; each of the second plug
contacts 12' has a larger main portion 121' and the soldering pad
120' is positioned between the retention portion 122' and the
contacting beam 123'. Therefore, the contacting beams 123, 123'
space away from the corresponding retention beams 122, 122' for
different distances. When the plug contacts 12, 12' are assembled
in the plug insulative housing 11, the retention portions 122, 122'
are retained in the plug passageways 111 to be arranged in two
parallel lines along the transverse direction. The soldering pads
120, 120' are arranged in four different parallel lines along the
transverse direction. The contacting beams 123, 123' are also
arranged another four different parallel lines along the transverse
direction. Each contacting beam 123, 123' comprises an inclined
rounded or smooth face 124, 124' for guiding purpose and a securing
portion 125, 125' protruding towards the retention portion 122,
122' for engagement purpose.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the receptacle connector 20
comprises a receptacle insulative housing 21, a plurality of
receptacle contacts 22 received in the receptacle insulative
housing 21, and a metallic shell 23 covering the receptacle
insulative housing 21. The receptacle insulative housing 21 has a
dimension larger than that of the plug insulative housing 11. The
receptacle insulative housing 21 defines a concaved channel 212
essentially receiving the plug insulative housing 11. The
receptacle insulative housing 21 comprises a protuberance portion
211 extending upward from the concaved channel 211 and the
protuberance portion 211 is received in the recess 110 of the plug
insulative housing 11 for engagement. The protuberance portion 211
defines a plurality of block units 2110. The receptacle insulative
housing 21 defines a plurality of receptacle passageways 214 beside
two sides of the concaved channel 212 respectively. The receptacle
contacts 22 are retained in the receptacle passageways 214 for
retention purpose and partly extend into the block units 2110 for
engagement purpose. The receptacle insulative housing 21 forms a
pair of heaves 213 protruding towards the concaved channel 212 and
defines a pair of cutouts 216 at opposite sides of the heaves 213.
The receptacle insulative housing 21 further forms a plurality of
protrusions 215.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 4, 6-9, the receptacle contact 23
comprises a main portion 231, a soldering pad 230 at a lower edge
of the main portion 231, a retention beam 232 and a contacting beam
233 both at an upper edge of the main portion 231. The contacting
beam 233 has a height similar to that of the retention beam 232,
and therefore, when the receptacle contact 23 is retained in the
receptacle insulative housing 21, the retention beam 232 is
received in the receptacle passageway 214 for retention purpose
while the contacting beam 233 is also received in the block unit
2110 for engagement purpose. The receptacle contacts 23 are also
formed into two groups, similar to the plug contacts 12, but that:
each of the first group of receptacle contacts 23 has a shorter
main portion 231 and the soldering pad 230 is positioned between
the retention beam 232 and the contacting beam 233 along the
lengthwise direction; and each of the second group of receptacle
contacts 23' has a larger main portion 231' and the retention beam
232' is positioned between the soldering pad 230' and the
contacting beam 233'. Therefore, when the receptacle contacts 23,
23' are assembled in the receptacle insulative housing 21, the
retention beams 232, 232' are retained in the receptacle
passageways 214 to be arranged in two parallel lines along the
transverse direction. The soldering pads 230, 230' are arranged in
four different parallel lines along the transverse direction. The
contacting beams 233, 233' are also arranged in another four
different parallel lines along the transverse direction. Different
from the plug contacts 12, each contacting beam 233, 233' comprises
a curved portion 234, 234' connecting to the main portion 231,
231', a vertical portion 236, 236' extending upwardly from the
curved portion 234, 234', and a tail portion 235, 235' angularly
returning back towards the retention beam 232, 232'. The tail
portions 235, 235' space away from the retention beams 232, 232'
for different distances due to different lengths of the main
portions 231, 231'. With such a receptacle contacting beam, a
better elastic or spring property, force response, torque, etc.,
during engagement with the plug contacting beam, is expected.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 4, the metallic shell 22 is frame-shaped
and comprises a pair of lengthwise beams 221 and a pair of
transverse beams 222 connecting to different ends of the lengthwise
beams 221 for defining an interspace therebetween (not labeled).
Each lengthwise beam 221 defines a plurality of slits 2210
receiving the protrusions 215 and therefore, the metallic shell 22
is securely assembled on the receptacle insulative housing 21
thereby. Each transverse beam 222 forms a wrapped portion 2221 at
the middle thereof and a pair of flexible beams 2222 at two sides
of the wrapped portion 2221. Both the wrapped portions 2221 and the
flexible beams 2222 extend into the interspace.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, when the metallic shell 22 is
assembled on the receptacle insulative housing 21, the wrapped
portions 2221 covers the corresponding heaves 213 for additionally
securing the metallic shell 22 on the receptacle insulative housing
21. The flexible beams 2222 are correspondingly received in the
cutouts 216. When the plug connector 10 is assembled into the
receptacle connector 20, the confronting portions 135 of the metal
plates 13 interfere with the flexible beams 2222 along the
transverse direction and therefore, the plug connector 10 is
securely received in the receptacle connector 20. Because each
metal plate 13 forms a pair of confronting portions 135 and each
transverse beam 222 forms a pair of flexible beams 2222, the
interference force therebetween is reinforced.
[0026] When the plug connector 10 is assembled into the receptacle
connector 20, the plug contacts 12, 12' are firstly guided by the
inclined faces 124, 124', and then the securing portions 125, 125'
of the plug contacts 12, 12' go across the tail portions 235, 235'
of the receptacle contacts 23, 23'. Finally, the tail portions 235,
235' of the receptacle contacts 23, 23' are positioned between the
securing portions 125, 125' and the main portions 121, 121' of the
plug contacts 12, 12'. A user feels a clicking therefrom, which
indicates to the user that the plug contacts 12, 12' have finally
been engaged with the corresponding receptacle contacts 23, 23'
already. Because the unique configuration of the plug contacts 12,
12' and the receptacle contacts 23, 23', the plug connector 10 and
the receptacle connector 20 are reliably engaged with each
other.
[0027] While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications
and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the
spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of
the present invention as described in the appended claims.
* * * * *